1937 Speedway National League

Summary

The entrants were the same seven teams as the previous season.

West Ham Hammers won their first national title despite finishing bottom the previous season. In the process they stopped Belle Vue Aces from claiming a fifth consecutive title win. Belle Vue did however go on to win the cup double winning the Knockout Cup for the fifth successive year and the A.C.U Cup for the fourth successive year.

Roy Clarence Vigor (Reg Vigor) was fatally injured during a match at Wimbledon Stadium on 27 September. He hit a safety fence and his bike landed on top of him. He died in Nelson Hospital, Merton, three days later. His death came just one month after the death of Stan Hart in the 1937 Provincial Speedway League.

Final table

Fixtures & results

A fixtures

B fixtures

Top ten riders

National Trophy

The 1937 National Trophy was the seventh edition of the Knockout Cup.

Qualifying rounds

Southampton Saints won the Provincial final and therefore secured a place in the quarter-finals.

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

First leg Frank Varey 16 Bob Harrison 15 Bill Kitchen 15 Joe Abbott 11 Eric Langton 9 Wally Hull 4 Jack Milne 17 George Newton 6 Ron Johnson 6 Stan Greatrex 4 Joe Francis 4 Clem Mitchell 1 Norman Evans 0 Bill Longley 0

Second leg Jack Milne 18 Joe Francis 14 Ron Johnson 10 George Newton 9 Clem Mitchell 7 Stan Greatrex 3 Norman Evans 1 Eric Langton 14 Joe Abbott 10 Wally Hull 10 Frank Varey 5 Bill Kitchen 4 Oliver Langton 2 Bob Harrison 0

Belle Vue were National Trophy Champions, winning on aggregate 115-110.

A.C.U Cup

The 1937 Auto-Cycle Union Cup was the fourth edition of the Cup and was won by Belle Vue for the fourth time. The groups were decided on the number of heat points scored within matches, rather than match wins.

First round Group 1

Group 2

Group 1

Group 2

Final

London Cup

First round

Semi final round

Final

First leg Bluey Wilkinson 14 Eric Chitty 12 Tiger Stevenson 11 Tommy Croombs 7 Arthur Atkinson 5 Charlie Spinks 2 Jack Dixon 1 George Newton 17 Jack Milne 15 Stan Greatrex 10 Joe Francis 6 Ron Johnson 6 Clem Mitchell 1 Ernie Evans 0

Second leg Jack Milne 17 Ron Johnson 14 Stan Greatrex 11 George Newton 9 Joe Francis 6 Clem Mitchell 4 Norman Evans 1 Bluey Wilkinson 17 Arthur Atkinson 10 Eric Chitty 9 Tiger Stevenson 3 Tommy Croombs 5 Jack Dixon 1

New Cross won on aggregate 117–97

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue

• 10.18
• 9.88
• 9.49
• 8.07
• 6.71
• 5.33
• 4.39
• 4.21
• 3.25
• 2.46
• 2.77

Hackney

• 9.38
• 8.30
• 7.63
• 5.54
• 5.40
• 5.20
• 4.76
• 4.14
• 3.58
• 3.40
• 2.48
• 1.71

Harringay

• 9.81
• 8.29
• 6.46
• 6.33
• 6.21
• 5.49
• 5.48
• 5.31
• 3.50
• 3.22
• 3.10

New Cross

• 11.09
• 8.91
• 8.50
• 6.29
• 5.88
• 5.83
• 5.80
• 4.03
• (John Glass) 3.56
• 3.38
• 2.35
• 2.00

Wembley

• 10.42
• 8.96
• 8.24
• 6.22
• 5.60
• 5.37
• 5.37
• 5.00
• 5.00
• 2.00

West Ham

• 10.23
• CAN Eric Chitty 9.37
• 8.92
• 8.54
• 7.18
• 6.03
• 5.83
• 5.60
• 4.63
• 3.50

Wimbledon

• 8.14
• 6.92
• 5.88
• 5.23
• 5.06
• 5.02
• 5.00
• 4.93
• 4.89
• 4.00
• 3.73
• 3.08
• 2.86
• 2.48
• GER Alfred Rumrich 1.09
• 0.29

References

References

1. "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
2. Rogers, Martin. (1978). "The Illustrated History of Speedway". Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd.
3. "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - PRE-WAR ERA (1929-1939)".
4. "1937 league tables". Speedway GB.
5. (22 September 1937). "West Ham are the new Speedway Champions".
6. "Year by Year".
7. "Reg Vigor".
8. "Wimbledon Speedway part one".
9. "1937 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
10. "1937 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
11. "1937 National Trophy". Speedway archive.
12. "1937 National Trophy".
13. "1937 ACU Cup". Speedway Researcher.
14. "1937 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
15. "1937 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
16. "1937 season results".